London (dpa)
Pep Guardiola, coach of Manchester City, is looking forward to another confrontation with Spanish Real Madrid, after the Champions League quarter-final draw pitted his team against the Spanish giant for the third year in a row.
British news agency PA Media reported that Manchester City, the Champions League title holder, will face Real Madrid, the record holder in terms of the number of times the title has been crowned, with 14 titles, in the quarter-finals next month.
The two teams met in the semi-finals in the past two years, with Real Madrid winning in 2022, and then Manchester City avenging this loss last year.
Guardiola said after the draw: “It seems that the matter has become more traditional. Three times in a row we face the kings of the tournament.”
He added: “I hope to arrive on time for the match, and we are fully prepared, but there are still a few weeks before the first match in Madrid.”
He added: “When people say that the draw is easy, they underestimate the value of the other competitor, but there is no need to know Real Madrid in this tournament. When you play in the final stages, you are facing the best teams in Europe, and Real Madrid is certainly there.”
He said: “But all competitors are difficult to beat. Everyone knows this. We felt excited before the draw, because participating here is a privilege every time. It is a special competition.”
Manchester City's priority will be to face Newcastle tomorrow, Saturday, in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
This will be the fourth time that the two teams meet this season, as Manchester City won the two league matches, before Newcastle won the League Cup.
Guardiola said: “This season and the one before it, and the one before them as well – since Eddie Howe took over as coach of Newcastle, and the people in Saudi Arabia took over the management of the club, the results of our matches with them have become very close.”
He added: “I do not expect anything different, but we have an amazing opportunity at home and in front of our fans. From now on, until the end of the season, we want in every match held at home to support our fans, as happened in the match against Manchester United.”
He said: “I cannot remember any atmosphere like this in a long time, and we need this tomorrow.”
Manchester City is missing the efforts of Kevin De Bruyne and Ederson Moraes, but Jack Grealish is seeking to find his place in the team, after missing six of the last seven matches that the team played, and Guardiola said: “He is improving, he is on the list.”
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